Chronicle Books Blog

Spring is officially here in San Francisco. And as the days get longer and warmer, I find myself dreaming of long afternoons spent in the sunshine, lounging by the pool with a good book and a journal at the ready. Sporting colorful art of bathers swimming in cool blue waters, Jing Wei’s Divers Journal is the perfect poolside companion.

Jing Wei is a brilliantly talented artist based in Brooklyn. She creates beautiful prints from hand-carved woodblocks that give her art a rough, inky quality you can tell is handmade.

A snapshot of one of her hand-carved woodblocks.

Jing has an eye for detail, and this journal is full of fun little surprises. I love the colorful perimeters on the interior! Those little swim goggles? Hilarious.

I asked Jing how she uses her own Divers Journal, and discovered that she brings that same sense of play to her make process. Play, zombies, and googly eyes, that is. Take a peek inside her journal to see what I mean below.

I’ve always gone through phases with sketchbooking. Most of the time, my sketchbook is what I use to figure out ideas and compositions for jobs, so I’m used to seeing it as a part of a bigger process. But recently, I’ve realized how important it is to be able to make work for fun, experiment, and not have any expectations for the results. It’s a great way to keep your work fresh, and stumble upon small breakthroughs with little risk. So when I was asked to participate in this feature, I knew it would be a good push for me to actually do what I otherwise would have kept putting off! I loved working in the Divers Journal because none of the pages felt too precious, and the variety of borders made it easy to jump around and try different things. I hate when I buy a sketchbook that I never touch because it is too beautiful and would probably be instantly ruined by the addition of my drawings. So this definitely fits my sketchbook requirements of being durable, but also pleasant to look at.

So here’s what I ended up with:

1. Drawings

These were mostly bits and pieces that were resurrected from a graveyard of rejected client sketches. The page of plants, for example, were inspired by old pattern sketches that were never fully resolved. By redrawing and recomposing the individual elements, it becomes something new. It’s also a good exercise to draw different things within one category, or draw one thing several different ways. It (hopefully) curbs stagnation, and keeps me from being too repetitive.

2. Notes

It’s always been easier for me to use writing to generate ideas, instead of thumbnails. It’s usually the first thing I do when I start a new assignment. I’ll lay out the prompt, and immediately jot down everything that comes to mind. This also helps eliminate the bad ideas right away. So by the time I actually get around to sketching, I already have a pretty good idea of what I want the piece to look like.

3. Collages

Collaging is the best. I’ve been slowly building a library of hand-printed paper, which I keep both at the studio and at home. I feel like I have a lot of freedom with collage, as opposed to drawing and painting. For me, it has a similar appeal to printmaking. You work with individual layers until it all comes together at the end. Along the way, there is lots of room for improvisation. I would really like to make a whole book of these little collages, all done outside of the studio. And I will try to not watch so much Walking Dead in the process, so the whole thing isn’t filled with zombies.

Oh and lastly – I love googly eyes!

Thanks Jing for letting us peek inside your journal!

Caitlin Kirkpatrick
Editorial Assistant

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This year I’m giving our journals the spotlight in a monthly series of interviews with the talented artists who illustrate them. Last month we snuck a peek inside Suzy Ultman’s Storybook Journal, and this month I decided to get in touch with Jen Renninger, the talented artist behind the ever-inspiring Make Something Good Today journal. Sprinkled with Jen’s sweet illustrations and positive messages throughout, this journal inspires bright ideas with every turn of a page. I asked Jen how she uses her own copy, and her can-do, glass-full attitude shines through in everything she touches! Take a look below to see what I mean.

A few years ago, while working on an “image a day” project, I decided to create an image that would inspire me to keep with it. The Make Something Good Today print was made with that in mind. I wanted to have something on my wall that would remind me that creating every day was a good thing, that the action of making something is an act of love—an act that brings nothing but joy and goodness into daily life.

Now that Chronicle and I have made the image into a journal, it gets to work overtime as a source of inspiration! I use my Make Something Good Today journal for a handful of different things:

1- Keeping running lists of positive quotes: I started a project this year called “The Everyday Optimist.” Every day on the site, I post a positive quote or an optimistic story. So I’m always scribbling down quotes and ideas for that project in my journal.

2- Collecting: As much as I love painting and drawing, my first love has always been collage. I’m a sucker for paper—the older the better. There is something about the texture and the colors, the clipping apart, and the putting back together that just fascinates me. For that reason I actually keep my journal in a little box. That way, I always have tape, glassine sleeves, and pens and pencils with me. I can easily collage recent finds into a page at a moment’s notice. It’s all right there in one place.

3- Sketching: Drawing does something wonderful to my mood. I’m not sure what it is about the feel of graphite running over paper, but it soothes me. I hadn’t intended to use the journal for anything other than the Everyday Optimist project, but I’ve found as time goes on that I’m drawing in it as well. The pages aren’t plain sketchbook pages, so sometimes I sketch on loose-leaf sheets and then just stick them into the journal when I’m done.

I’d love to hear what others are using the journals for!

Let us know in the comments below. A special thanks to Jen for letting us peek inside her journal!

Caitlin Kirkpatrick
Editorial Assistant

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The Chronicle office has been buzzing the last few weeks with new inspirations, brainstorms, and big ideas for 2013. Good thing we just so happen to be the lucky publishers of a plethora of journals all perfect for keeping track of to-do’s!

This year I’ll be touring our latest and greatest journals by getting in touch with the talented artists who illustrate them. This month, we take a peek inside the journal of Suzy Ultman, the wonder woman behind a cornucopia of adorable Chronicle stationery and gifts. She created the Storybook Journal with the look of vintage classics in mind, and with a debossed cover this journal looks and feels just like a collection of old fairy tales.

I asked Suzy how she uses her own, and it turns out she’s a die-hard list-maker. Here’s a look at the list of lists she keeps in her journal, all sprinkled with adorable Suzy doodles, of course!

I love making lists. Always have. As a teenager, I re-wrote my class notes in notebooks and journals just for fun, listing out science-y facts or bullet-pointing homework assignments.

These days, I like to keep my list-making creative and fun. My journals are a place where I can explore ideas and goals, keep track of thoughts, and organize concepts. It’s also a way to revisit places I’ve been, and think about the places I want to go.

The best things about lists…
1. They are easy to keep.
2. They are never-ending. You can always add bits, delete parts, and come up with ideas between the lines.
3. There’s no greater sense of satisfaction than adding something new to your list, or crossing something off of it.

The Storybook Journal has become my go to spot for list-making. The detailed cover is a constant source of inspiration. It’s almost like the quaint characters are suggesting lists for me to make.

INTRO LIST

I started my Storybook Journal with some brainstorming, by jotting down lists I’d like to begin. Hey, it’s a list of lists!

COLOR “LIST”

I have scraps and scraps of paper with color pencil markings. I decided to organize my color thoughts for a project where I need boy, girl and gender neutral color stories.

BOOK LIST

Sometimes I like to paste a little pocket into my journal. As my book list grows, I can add cards to the pocket.

BACKYARD SIGHTINGS LIST

My boys & I like to bird and critter-watch. We call our backyard the “Nature Channel”. I was actually reminded, by my oldest son, that I forgot to list banana slug on this list.

GROCERY STAPLES LIST

I keep a post-it like this in my wallet (minus the doodles) with our household grocery essentials. I add everyday lists like this to my journal, and use them for drawing exercises. Sometimes, nothing is more inspiring than a quick post-it list.

PEN LIST

I am constantly on the hunt for good pens. These are my favorite! They all live in my totable pencil case, so they can go wherever I go. Most of these pens can be found at Staples or Blick. For the Japanese pens, check-out:
Muji Pens
Delfonics Pens
Paul and Polina Pens

WORDS I LIKE LIST

This list is ever growing. It comes in handy for creative writing, and also sparks visual ideas.

MANTRAS LIST

I like to approach each day with thoughtful, positive energy. If I need a nudge in that direction, one or more of these mantras always helps. I love making additions to this list.

TRAVEL WISH LIST

Inside the giant clog is my very special travel wish list. It is especially fun to cross items off of this list!

Special thanks to Suzy for sharing her journal with us.

Caitlin Kirkpatrick
Editorial Assistant

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How will you show your gratitude this year? Let us know in the comments below for a chance to win a free copy of your favorite pick from this season’s stationery (giveaway good in the US and Canada only).

It’s that time of year again—when we take a pause from the daily hustle and bustle to gather together with family and friends, break some bread, and raise a glass to give thanks for all the awesomeness of the past year. Here at Chronicle we can’t help but be struck by all that we have to be grateful for: amazingly talented authors and artists, creative coworkers, and of course, our fantastically dedicated readers that make it possible year after year.

With so many festivities around the corner and so many people to thank, I’m constantly on the lookout this time of year for special ways to show my gratitude. As someone who rather shamelessly keeps little thank-you notes posted around my desk at all times (evidence below), I know there’s nothing I appreciate more than a handwritten note.

A little snapshot of the thoughtful thank-you notes currently on display at my desk.

I’m not the only one—a bunch of us here at the office hold on to the thank-you’s we receive from authors, artists, and coworkers as a little uplifting desk décor. It’s a sweet (and pretty!) reminder of all the great folks that make our day-to-day totally worth it.

On the hunt for paper goodies to send to gracious hosts, family, and friends this Thanksgiving, I hopped around the office and rounded up some of our latest stationery offerings perfect for just this occasion.

What better way to say thanks than with a little good luck charm? These adorable Lucky Cat Notecards fold into figurines that make perfect desktop accessories.

Thank folks that love the look of vintage ephemera with the The Art of Instruction Postcards.

Send a cheerful thank-you with the nice bright colors of Kodachrome Notes.

This Liberty Floral Notecard Set will lend thank-you’s a touch of elegance.

Or pen a lengthier letter with one of these elegant stationery collections.

John Robshaw Stationery Collection

Theatre of Dreams Stationery Collection

PANTONE® Stationery Set

Thanks to Kate Woodrow, Bridget Watson Payne, Meghan Nowell, and Kristen Hewitt for sharing their desk displays above!

Caitlin Kirkpatrick
Editorial Assistant

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Where are you headed this summer? Tell us about your summer adventure plans—far or near—in the comments below for a chance to win your very own copy of Side Walks (offer valid in the US and Canada only).

Here we are almost halfway through summer already, and if you’re anything like me, the travel bug has you itching for adventure. There’s just nothing like that sense of freedom and discovery that a summertime getaway always seems to bring. So, while planning my next big escape, I indulged my wanderlust with a little tour of Chronicle’s travel journals.

The Bon Voyage journal by artist Susie Ghahremani makes me want to hot-air-balloon my way around the world.

What could bring more whimsy to your journey than these cute little critters? Susie Ghahremani is the imaginative mind behind boygirlparty.com, and her knack for putting the fun in function never ceases to amaze me. This handy little journal is bursting with fun features: prompts for making lists and agendas,

lots of space for recording observations (all illustrated with Susie’s adorable artwork, of course),

and a back pocket for stashing mementos on-the-go. I’m particularly fond of the waterproof cover that keeps your notes safe even in the event of unexpected weather changes.

I love to keep ticket stubs, museum flyers, pamphlets, and all sorts of little odds and ends while I’m traveling as souvenirs. The Travel Stub Diary is filled with page after page of plastic sleeves for storing all of those on-the-go keepsakes:

Right now I’m using this journal for stashing mementos from my hometown, but I can’t wait to take this album with me on my next big trip. I love that these pockets can fit just about anything and everything I’d ever want to keep on my travels—and with acid-free pages, too.

Those little unexpected discoveries are what always make the trip feel special for me. I Was Here, a travel journal by Kate Pocrass, is filled to the brim with fun ways to take note of the little things on your journey.

Kate Pocrass is the artist behind Mundane Journeys, under which she’s self-published a series of small books and tour itineraries to help people wander, explore, and discover off the beaten path. You’re bound to catch something unique on every corner with this journal. With Kate’s guidance, you might try visiting tourist attractions from a different perspective:

Or you might follow a theme to guide your journey. What could be more inspiring than letting color lead the way?

For the times when I can’t hop on a plane, Kate’s new journal Side Walks is the perfect companion for a little neighborhood excursion.

A travel journal for exploring your very own city, Side Walks will embark you on an adventure even if it’s just around the block. Kate encourages you to observe, sketch, and experience your surroundings in new and unexpected ways…

like following the path of an airplane in the sky:

or only eating foods of a similar shape for a day.

I took this journal for a quick spin in my neighborhood this weekend. San Francisco is full of surprises, but it’s all too easy for me to get stuck in my routine. With Kate’s guidance, I kept an eye out for everyday wonders that I may not have otherwise noticed:

and spotted some exciting new discoveries at every turn, even right under my feet!

I may not have journeyed to the far ends of the Earth, but I found plenty of inspiration right outside my front door.

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Caitlin Kirkpatrick
Editorial Assistant